A shapeshifting girl talks her way into becoming the sidekick of a kingdom's most notorious villain
Villains, heroes and a shapeshifter
Ballister Blackheart is the most notorious villain in a kingdom that mixes knights and castles with science and technology. One day an impulsive teenage girl named Nimona bursts into his lair and announces that she is his new sidekick. She is also a shapeshifter who can turn into a shark, a dragon or a small child, and she wants to cause as much trouble as possible.
Who will enjoy it
Teen and adult readers who enjoy funny, heartfelt graphic novels that turn stories about heroes and villains upside down.
What you will get
A funny, heartfelt graphic novel that turns the story of heroes and villains upside down, with a wild, lovable heroine and a surprising emotional depth.
Nimona Facts: Pages, Genre and Setting
Genre
Young Adult · Graphic novel · Shapeshifter · Villains
Length
272 pages · ≈ 8 h
More about this book
Ballister has a code: he does not want innocent people to get hurt, and he wants to expose the Institution of Law Enforcement and Heroics, which he believes is corrupt. His nemesis is Sir Ambrosius Goldenloin, the kingdom's golden hero and once his closest friend, who years ago caused the injury that cost Ballister his arm. Nimona's methods are far more chaotic and violent than Ballister likes, and their partnership is full of comic arguments.
As they investigate, they uncover a dangerous secret about the Institution, and the story grows darker and more serious. Nimona is evasive about her past, and Ballister begins to wonder who, or what, she really is. The bright, simple art style and quick humour gradually give way to real emotion, and the book explores loneliness, friendship, prejudice and what makes someone a monster. There is cartoon violence, and some scenes are tense and sad, but it remains warm at heart. It was a finalist for the National Book Award.
Funny, moving and surprising, a story about friendship and being accepted for who you are, later adapted as an animated film. About 272 pages in the HarperTeen paperback.
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